Over the past 30 months, 532,000 manufacturing jobs
have been created in the U.S. – the strongest job growth in that sector since
the 1990s. These jobs provide good pay and benefits. They
strengthen economic security for middle class families. The Obama
Administration is focused on helping U.S. manufacturers build things here and
sell them everywhere by making game-changing investments in new manufacturing
technologies. One of those technologies is additive manufacturing.

What is additive
manufacturing?

Sometimes known as “3-D
printing,” additive manufacturing uses emerging technologies to fabricate parts
by building them up layer-by-layer. It allows rapid transformation from
"art" (CAD model) to "part" (manufactured product), and
shows great promise for applications as diverse as lightweight aerospace
structures and custom biomedical implants.

How does it work?

Metallic, plastic, ceramic, or composite materials are
laid down one thin layer at a time and placed precisely as directed from a
digital file. Frequently, the raw materials used are in the form of powders or
wires that can be melted and shaped by a laser, in a fashion somewhat akin to
welding.

An example application for the medical industry would
be the creation of an artificial jawbone. A 3-D computer model of a jawbone is
created based on a person’s bone structure, and this model is sliced into many
layers. The computer then feeds the information into the additive machine,
which could generate the complex bone structure substitute out of metal.

How does additive
manufacturing impact the economy?

Additive manufacturing is largely an emerging
technology that shows promise for the defense, energy, aerospace, medical and
commercial sectors. Its ability to build up objects
directly makes it a good alternative to conventional machining, forging,
molding and casting for rapidly making highly customized parts. While
additive manufacturing is most attractive for making complex parts in
relatively small volumes, it can be used for rapidly making tools and dies used
in large volume manufacturing. The technology also
shows promise for creating parts in situ, such as at forward-stationed
military bases. Because of its potential, many companies are experimenting with
the technology. The field of companies using the technology to make commercial
products today is relatively small, but growing, and includes the makers of
machine parts and aircraft cabin components.

The expected long-term impact is in highly customized
manufacturing, where the technique can be more cost-effective than traditional
methods. According to an industry report by Wohlers Associates, by 2015 the
sale of additive manufacturing products and services could reach $3.7 billion
worldwide, and by 2019, exceed $6.5 billion.

What is the administration
doing to support additive manufacturing?

The Obama Administration is committed to supporting
additive manufacturing research and enhancing America’s manufacturing
capabilities. The National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI), which
President Obama announced in March 2012, is just one of these initiatives. The
NNMI will accelerate innovation and increase U.S. manufacturing competitiveness
by bringing together federal agencies, industry, universities and community
colleges, and the states to invest in industrially relevant manufacturing
technologies with broad applications. An interagency team chose additive
manufacturing as the focus of the NNMI pilot institute, which will have a
physical incubation hub in Youngstown, Ohio. The pilot institute will
bring together a regional network of 14 research universities, community
colleges, at least 40 industry partners and 10 non-profit organizations and
professional societies from Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and West
Virginia, with the goal of building a national presence and network. With
a nearly $40 million match to the $30 million federal investment, the private
sector response is a strong indicator of interest in a successful
public-private partnership.